


some you leave behind

by orphan_account



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Established Relationship, F/M, POV Percy Jackson, im not gonna tag for what i havent posted yet because i dont play like that, theres way more rachel in this than i planned
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-18
Updated: 2017-10-18
Packaged: 2019-01-18 22:32:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12397587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: "'Zombies' sounds sort of gauche, like we're living out a shitty movie," Rachel muses. "We've been calling them 'walkers.'""Or 'geeks,'" Percy adds."'Geeks?' That's sort of rude," Bianca says, frowning."Well, they're sort of rude."





	some you leave behind

_Percy is sitting at his mother’s breakfast table, a cup of coffee steaming in front of him. His mother sits across from him, frowning at the ticket in her hands. Percy stares fondly back at her, smiling slightly. “Percy, I still think this is too much," she says finally, for the thousandth time. "I can't afford to leave work for this long. And what about you? What about Rachel?”_

_Rachel reaches for his mother’s hand. “Sally, we’ll be fine. Percy took care of everything. Just think, in a few hours you’ll be in Montauk. You can lay on the beach, soak up the sun, drink a few mojitos--"_

_“Rachel!” Sally laughs. Rachel smirks and starts to reach over Percy for his mug. "Hey," he protests, weakly batting her hand away. She finally manages to grab it and takes a long sip._

_Sally is still studying the ticket anxiously. “Mom, go,” Percy insists. “Don’t worry about us. We'll meet up with you in a week.”_

_“You’re sure? You really got time off?”_

_“Yes, Mom! Everything’s set. It's going to be great. Now get out of here, or you’ll miss your train.”_

_“Well…all right," she acquiesces, allowing herself a smile. "I love you, Percy.”_

_“I love you too, mom. Now go, go, go.”_

_The second she steps out of the apartment, Sally Jackson bursts into flames. She lets out a strangled yell, dropping her bag. “Percy, help her!” Rachel screams. He struggles to get up, but his legs have stopped working. Helpless, immobile, he watches as his mother turns to ash in front of his eyes._

_“Get up!” Rachel urges, her eyes wild with panic. He tries to say "I can't," but the words stick in his throat. Smoke stings his eyes. “Get up. Get up!”_

Percy jolts upright, gasping for air. His pulse thunders in his hears. He realizes, offhand, he's been crying. 

"Mom?" He calls out, tentative. 

"No, baby," Rachel sighs. "It's me." She slides next to him on their bed and rubs his back gently. "It's okay, you're safe." 

He slumps over and drags a hand over his face. _It's not me I'm worried about,_ he wants to say, but he bites his tongue. He doesn't have the energy to get into it with her right now. 

"I'll take watch," he says instead. 

"You sure?" Rachel asks. His eyes have adjusted to the dark now, and he watches her bite her lip. "You can sleep for a few more hours. I don't mind."

"I'm not tired anymore," he says, and reaches for his sword. 

\--

When Percy and his mother first moved into this apartment years ago, Percy was ecstatic to find that his new home came with an air conditioning unit. He never had AC before; they'd always made do with wide-open windows and weak desk fans. The second he spotted it he dropped his bags to the floor raced over to flick the machine on, grinning wildly. The thing groaned to life like an old god and emitted a steady, thunderous roar that never once let up. It had the power to drown out any competing noise within a twenty foot radius, a fact Percy and his mother learned the hard way.

Now, he gazes longingly at the silent air conditioner, scraping the last dregs of baked beans out of the can with a spatula. He glances at the power cord plugged into the wall, the switch flicked mockingly to "ON," and scowls. It's too quiet. He wants to run over and throw the AC unit out the window just to break the silence. Never in Percy's life has he experienced silence quite like this, not even in Montauk. 

He licks the spatula, wincing at the taste, and walks over to the window. Below, cars sit abandoned on the streets. He spots an overturned hot dog cart and wonders if there's anything in it worth salvaging. Rachel would tell him it's not worth it to check. 

A groan rings through the apartment like gunfire. He tenses, turning quickly, but it's just Rachel, yawning as she leans against the doorframe. 

"Morning," she remarks. 

"It sure is," he shoots back. She rolls her eyes and strolls over to him, draping her arms around his neck. She leans up and he presses his forehead to hers. He closes his eyes, and for a moment the rest of the world falls away until it's just the gentle pressure of her body against his.

"Sleep well?" He murmurs. He can feel her shake her head. 

"No," she sighs. "Weird dreams." He waits for her to elaborate, but she just kisses him and steps away. He decides to let it go.

"You hungry?" He asks as walks over to the kitchen. The sheath on his hip knocks a gentle rhythm on his thigh with each step. "Let's see...we have beans, beans...ooh, corn!" He exclaims, turning and raising his eyebrows suggestively, "...and...beans. Take your pick." 

Rachel shakes her head and reaches for a bottle of water. "Beans," she decides, smiling. "Let's save the corn for a special occasion."

"You got it." He fishes the can opener out of the bottom drawer and serves Rachel her meager breakfast. She takes a bite and wrinkles her nose. "Mmm," she says sarcastically. "Just what I wanted." Percy snorts.

"You know, we could get some more food if we just went outside--" Percy starts.

"We have enough," Rachel replies sharply, setting down her spoon. Percy leans against the counter, crossing his arms. "Can we not start this right now?" She pleads, drumming nervously on the counter with her right hand. "I just woke up."

"I just don't get why we're dragging out what's going to happen whether we want it to or not. We're going to run out of food and water eventually. We need to face them at some point. Not to mention--"

"Why right now? We could get hurt, or bit, or--" 

"Help!" 

They both freeze. 

"What was that?" Percy whispers, scrambling to grip the hilt of his sword. Rachel shakes her head, eyes wide.

"Help!" Another voice chimes in. _There's real people on the street,_ Percy marvels to himself, _actual human people_. A crashing sound rings out; something got knocked over, maybe a trash can. The noise shakes him back to reality, and he takes a deep breath. 

"I'll be right back." He says. He hopes he sounds more brave than he feels.

"No--" Rachel starts.

He doesn't let her finish. He races out the door and crashes down the walkup, heartbeat roaring in his hears.

He runs outside, stumbling, and looks around wildly. To his left, he sees two kids who can't be more than sixteen fighting off five walkers with household items. He gawks as the girl drives a chef's knife into one walker's head with lethal force. 

"What are you standing there for?" The boy demands, smacking one across the head with a trash can lid before driving a wrought iron poker in between its eyes. "Help!" 

Percy shakes himself and charges, unsheathing his sword. One of the walkers turns and starts towards him. Everything in Percy's body screams "Run!" But he can't leave these two to die. He swings at its torso and jumps back. Guts spills out onto the concrete, but the walker, undeterred, continues heading towards Percy. Its awful arms remain outstretched, searching. 

"The head!" The girl screams. Her voice sounds distant, like she's underwater. "Aim for the head!" 

He winds his arm back and pitches the point of his sword between the walker's eyes in a desperate Hail Mary, stepping back just as it makes a last futile swipe at his arm. The sword drives in with a sickening squelch, and the walker crumples at his feet. It's even more repulsive up close. Its skin is a mottled mixture of browns and greens and purples. Its eyes, bloodshot and rimmed yellow, stare up at him, unseeing. Blood cakes its mouth; its clothes are stained a rust brown. Percy can't tear his eyes away.

"Behind you!" The girl cries. His brain shuts down; he quickly pulls the sword out of the walker's head and pivots, taking out a second one just as it reaches to claw out his shoulder. 

"Nice!" The boy exclaims behind him. Percy turns around, chest heaving. The girl is doubled over, clutching her knees and coughing. The boy is examining his trash can shield with mild disgust. "Ugh, gross," he says, nose wrinkled.

"Not--done--" she gasps. "Behind--" She breaks into another round of coughing.

Percy turns again, shielding his eyes from the sun as he strains to see what she means.

Hundreds of walkers are heading their way. They're slow, stumbling around like marionettes, but Percy is horribly certain they won't be able to take them all. 

"Come on!" He says, voice cracking. He clears his throat, gives his head a little shake. "In here," he adds, louder. He motions for them to follow and runs back to his building. The two trail behind him as he races up the walkup to the fourth floor, pounding on 4C. 

"Rachel!" He yells desperately. "Open the door!" 

Rachel flings the door open. Her eyes are panicked, shining with tears. His heart aches at the sight, but before he can say anything to comfort her, she runs to the window and points a shaking hand down. "Look."

Percy and the two race to where she stands. His stomach drops.

The walkers must have seen them go in. They start to surround the building, groaning. 

"No," the girl mutters. "No, no, no--"

Like cattle, they herd around Percy's apartment. They begin pushing against the concrete foundation, and Percy thinks, _Okay, no way_ \--

The building starts to shake. 

He turns to Rachel. She's deathly white, but her eyes saccade like she's thinking hard, searching for a way out of this. 

"Noise," the boy says faintly, breaking the silence. "Remember in Pennsylvania, B? The fireworks?" 

The girl's eyes widen. "Of course...You have anything we can throw?" She asks Percy, already casing the place, sizing up the furniture. 

"I--" Percy stumbles, trying to keep his footing as the floors rattle. "I guess--"

"Hold the air conditioner," Rachel demands suddenly, jaw set. "I have an idea." 

Percy automatically kneels, gripping either sides of the AC. Rachel stands on tiptoe and determinedly starts to unlatch the top pane of the window, swaying from side to side as she tries to remain upright. Behind him, he hears crashing, like decorations are flying off the walls. Finally, she manages to pop the window off. 

"What," he starts weakly, shifting his arms to a more comfortable position, "You're going to throw the air conditioner?"

Rachel looks at him.

"Oh my god, you're going to throw the fucking air conditioner out the window." 

"Do you have any better ideas? Let me grab that." 

He steps aside, letting Rachel grip the sides of the AC by herself. She easily lifts it over her head and heaves it out the window, stumbling forward before steadying herself. Outside, there's a satisfying crash. Percy looks at her, awestruck. 

She looks over at Percy, breathing heavily. "Pick your jaw up off the floor," she manages, looking mildly pleased with herself. 

"Guys, it's not over," the boy says from behind him, his arms loaded with priceless memorabilia from Percy's childhood. 

He's right. Percy glances outside again and sees that the the air conditioner caused only a few dozen geeks to walk away. Not enough.

The girl starts pitching objects out the window at lightning speed: a baseball, a basketball, his mom's blender, a food processor, a dozen framed photos. Percy grabs the side table by the couch and joins her, throwing as far as he can.

The boy struggles with the TV in Percy's periphery. 

"Come on, the TV?" Percy complains, tossing a lamp onto the street. 

"What, were you thinking of catching the game after this?" The boy snaps. "Help me." 

Rachel races over to assist, and the two of them eventually toss the TV sidelong out the window. 

The building stops shaking. Below, walkers are scattered on the streets, searching for the source of the sudden cacophony. A few strays stay near the building, tapping on the structure halfheartedly.

All of the adrenaline leaves Percy's body in one big rush. He slumps to the floor, putting his head between his knees. He feels Rachel slide next to him and place her head on his shoulder.

"Well, fuck," she says after a few minutes, and he barks out a laugh.

He lifts his head up, scanning for the two kids. He finds them collapsed on his couch. The girl's left arm is draped over her eyes, but she's still gripping her knife, her knuckles white. The boy twirls his poker idly, staring at the carpet. 

"So, uh...I'm Percy," he starts. The girl sits up, startled, like she forgot where she was.

"I'm Bianca," she says. "This is my brother, Nico. Is that water?"

\--

"We were in DC with our mom, trying to wait it out," Bianca explains between gulps. "But, ah, it got bombed." 

"Bombed?" Rachel gasps. Bianca nods, leaning back on the couch.

"Yeah, I guess some country was pissed that we kickstarted the Super Plague," Nico says, rolling his eyes. He freezes suddenly, eyes wide. "Maybe it was our guys."

Bianca elbows him. "Either way, we didn't stick around long enough to find out what happened exactly."

Nico shakes himself. "Uh, yeah. And our mom, well--"

"She died," Bianca interrupts, glaring at Nico. "And we figured we were kidding ourselves, thinking there was a way to lay low and wait this thing out," she continues. Percy shoots a glance at Rachel, who's avoiding his gaze, cheeks flushed. "And we decided to look for our dad." 

"And your dad is in...New York?" Percy guesses. Nico shakes his head.

"Maine. He's--well, he was a miner. We haven't actually, uh, met him before, but..." Nico trails off, looking at Bianca.

"When there's zombies walking the streets, you need a goal to stay sane," Bianca says it like it's a line she's repeated to herself hundreds of times. "We thought maybe it'll be safer in the country anyway, where it's less populated." 

Percy nods, impressed.

"'Zombies' sounds sort of gauche, like we're living out a shitty movie," Rachel muses. "We've been calling them 'walkers.'" 

"Or 'geeks,'" Percy adds. 

"'Geeks?' That's sort of rude," Bianca says, frowning.

"Well, they're sort of rude."

"Do you guys need a place to stay for a little while?" Rachel cuts in. "We have enough food and water, and I'm sure you guys are exhausted." 

Nico nods vigorously, just as Bianca starts to say, "Well, I don't think--"

"B, please?" Nico pleads. "I'm so tired. And they have food." 

"Beans," Percy agrees. "And corn. Does this count as a special occasion?" He asks Rachel. She nudges him in response.

"Well, I guess it'd be okay. But one of us has to stay up and keep watch, just in case these guys are murderers," Bianca says to Nico. "Sorry," she adds, looking at Percy and Rachel.

"It's cool. You can crash on the couch." He can't bring himself offer them his mother's bed. He walks over to the counter and tosses Nico a can of black beans and the can opener. He looks over at Rachel, who jerks her head towards their room. "I hope you don't mind that we're going to take the rest of the food and water with us," Percy announces, "just in case."

Nico nods and lays back on the couch, eyelids already drooping. "Oh, by all means, you sleep first," Bianca says sarcastically. 

Rachel and Percy gather their stores and head to their room. They're worryingly low on food. The last time he went out for food--well, the last time he went out for food, he could exchange flimsy green pieces of paper for groceries. He never thought he'd see the day when he actually wants to spend money, but he'd give anything to pay four dollars for a bottle of water right about now.

Percy closes the door quietly behind them. "Are you sure it's okay to leave them out there alone?" Rachel asks quietly, setting the food on the floor. 

"You offered them a place to stay, Rach. Don't worry, they're just kids. Plus, what're they gonna take? They already threw half of our valuables out the window." Percy flops back on the bed, sighing. Rachel joins him, resting her head on his chest. 

He gazes around at Rachel's paintings--she's experimenting with red right now, creating pieces that are as violent as they are beautiful. A couple works fell down when the walkers were attacking, but luckily the piece she's working on right now seems intact, covered haphazardly with a dirty sheet. 

"You done with that?" He asks, nodding his head to the easel. 

Rachel shakes her head. "Not yet. Something's missing from it. I wish I could..." She trails off, lost in thought.

He looks down at her. "Anything I can help with?" 

"No. I mean...it's based off this dream I keep having. I'm standing in the middle of this four-way stop. You're there," she says, and he can hear the smile in her voice, "and a couple others. I can never remember what their faces look like when I wake up. I can tell we're in a town, but there aren't any buildings. And it's dark," she adds. "Really dark." 

He waits for her to continue, but she doesn't offer up anything else. "That's it?" He asks. 

"Yeah. The whole dream is just you, me, and some other guys, just standing in the middle of this weird town, which isn't really a town, staring at each other in silence. When it happens, I feel like I've always been there, and I'm always going to be there. It goes on forever." Rachel seems troubled, but he doesn't really understand what the problem is. They lay together in silence. Rachel feels far away.

After a few moments, Percy clears his throat. "Rach?"

"Yeah?"

"I think we should head to Montauk," he says, eyes fixed on the ceiling.

Rachel sits up, looking at him. "Are you serious? After what happened today? You went outside for like, two minutes, and you almost died. Now you want us to, what, walk to fucking Montauk?" 

Percy huffs. "Rachel, my mom is out there, all alone. We sent her there. We told her we'd meet up with her--"

"That was before, Percy."

"I know that. But we've been sitting pretty in this apartment for over a week now, and for what? You heard Bianca. There's nothing left out there. No one has a cure. The power isn't going to magically come back on. No one's going to save us." 

Rachel looks like she's going to argue, but then her face crumples into something terrible. "I'm scared. I'm so scared. I don't want to get bit. I don't want to die."

"You think I'm not scared? I'm fucking terrified, Rach. But I need to be with my mom. Please, after tonight, let's go." 

The air hangs heavy with what Percy doesn't say: As desperate as he is to see find his mom, if Rachel refuses to leave, Percy will stay with her. It would hurt terribly, the not knowing, but he could never, would never, leave without Rachel. He knows Rachel knows this, knows it's killing her that her fear is keeping him from being with his mother. And in turn, he hates that he's asking her to risk his life for him and for Sally. But he has to ask. He has to try.

"Okay," Rachel says finally. "Jesus, fine, okay. We'll go in the morning. I just need to--" her voice breaks, and she runs out of the room. 

He wants to run after her, but he doesn't know what he'd say. The conversation left an acrid taste in his mouth, but his chest starts to feel warm, hope breaking through like dawn.

\--

Percy wakes up, disoriented. He glances outside. The sun hangs high in the sky, light refracting through the windowpane and warming his sheets. He wipes the sweat off his forehead and checks his watch, shocked to find it's early afternoon. He pads into the kitchen where Rachel and Bianca hover around the counter, talking in intense whispers. Rachel drums her fingers on the counter. Even from behind, he can tell Bianca's an expressive talker; always tossing her hair and gesturing with her hands. Rachel spots him watching them from the doorway and tries for a smile.

"Hey," he greets, walking over. "You didn't have to let me sleep for that long." 

"It's fine," Rachel says, not meeting his eyes. "I wasn't that tired." 

The three of them stand in awkward silence. Bianca traces patterns on the linoleum with her shoe. 

"Okay, well, I'm going to wake Nico up," Bianca says finally. She walks over to the couch. 

"Hey, are you okay?" Percy asks. He steps forward, touching Rachel's arm gently. 

"I'm just worried," she admits. "I have a bad feeling about this." Percy's eyes snap to the couch. "No, no, no," she says quickly. "Not about them. I actually really like them. About tomorrow. I just feel like--"

"Like what?" 

Rachel shakes her head. "Nothing. It's dumb. I'm going to take a nap."

"Rachel--"

"Forget about it, baby." She cups his cheek and stands on her tiptoes, kissing him gently. "Talk to you later. I love you."

"I love you, too."

As she walks away, Nico stumbles over to the kitchen table, rubbing his eyes. 

"Hey," he grunts, letting out a yawn.

"You were tired," Percy notes.

Nico scoffs, giving him a sidelong glance. "You could say that. Before you found us, I hadn't even sat down in, what, 24 hours?"

"What?" Percy gapes.

"Zombies...or walkers, whatever. We were overrun. The second we got near New York, they were everywhere. We tried to avoid the city, but it was like they were herding us." He pinches his temples. "I've never been to Manhattan before. We got the accelerated tour."

Percy snorts, and Nico shoots him half a smile, pinching the bridge of his nose. He looks over at Bianca, snoring softly on the couch. Percy studies him for a moment. He's unnaturally pale, but Percy can tell it's from exhaustion; under different circumstances, he's sure Nico has the same olive complexion as his sister. The dark circles under his eyes are so prominent it almost looks like someone gently scraped out his under-eye area with a whittling tool. Strangely, it's the defiant set to his jaw, to the slant of his shoulders, that makes Percy feel immediately protective of him. 

"What?" Nico asks defensively. Percy realizes he's been watching Percy watch him. 

"Nothing, just...you must be a tough, to make it this far. How old are you, fifteen?"

"Fourteen," Nico mumbles. "I'm not that tough. Bianca's the one...well, without her, I don't know if I'd make it."

"You would," Percy says confidently. Nico scoffs. "I saw you with that thing outside," he insists, nodding to the poker. "You have a hell of a swing." 

"Yeah, well..." Nico looks around awkwardly, embarrassed at the praise. He glances at Percy's left hip. "You're the one with the sword," he says finally. "How'd you get that?"

Percy looks down at the weapon resting snugly in its sheath. 

"I'm--well, I used to be, anyway--a swordfighting teacher." 

"Yeah, right," Nico snorts. He pauses at Percy's steady gaze, his sheepish grin. Nico's jaw drops. "Wait, seriously?"

"Yeah, dude. Technically I'm like, an apprentice. I took lessons when I was a kid. It was the only thing I was ever really good at, you know? I'm dyslexic and ADHD, so school pretty much sucked for me. Once I graduated high school, I begged the guy who ran the school I took lessons at to hire me. I've been working there for a couple years now." 

"Whoa," Nico says, awed, then scowls. "I have no clue what I'm good at." 

"You'll figure it out. Give it some time," Percy says automatically, then winces. When would Nico find the time to figure himself out when he's just trying to stay alive? 

They both fall silent. Percy searches for something to say, something to make both him and Nico feel better about their situation, but nothing comes. His mom would know what to say, he thinks sadly. She always knew what to say.

"I don't want to go to Maine," Nico admits quietly. 

"Why?" Percy asks.

Nico sighs. "Our dad, there's no way he's still in Bar Harbor. And if he is, how would we find him? We don't even know what he looks like. We're relying on a memory my mom has--had--from fifteen years ago. But Bianca's right," he says, nodding tightly. "We need a goal. I just--"

"--Don't want to be disappointed when you get there," Percy finishes. Nico looks down. 

"Look, two weeks ago, I thought I'd give my mom a present. She works so hard, and she deserved to take some time off. So I called her work, got them to let her finally take those vacation days she's been racking up, and I sent her to our favorite place in Montauk. I told her--I told her I'd meet up with her in a week," Percy continues, voice breaking, "And then everyone started getting sick, and the power went out, and then literal zombies started roaming the streets. So, Bianca's right. You need a goal. You need something to get you out of bed. I don't--I don't know if my mom's still alive. She could've gotten sick, or bit, but I'm going to try to find her anyway. Your dad might not be in Maine, but at least you're heading somewhere. At least you're trying." 

Nico stares up at him, eyes shining. "It's not fair," he says. 

"Yeah," Percy sighs. "I know."

\--

"Do you mind if I use this?" 

Percy cranes his neck over to where Bianca's standing, holding his mother's knife sharpener. 

"Go ahead," he says. She nods and pulls out her chef's knife from its makeshift sheath. She hovers near the counter a moment, uncertain, holding up the sharpener and the sheath awkwardly. Ultimately she walks over and takes a seat across from Percy at the table. 

The sharp, clear sound of metal against metal reminds Percy of work. He grips the hilt of his sword absentmindedly, tracing over the leather grip. Part of him wonders where his boss, Q, is; if he got sick, if anyone around him got sick and bit him. He decides he doesn't really want to know.

Bianca is stealing glances at him, studying him with a calculating stare. He wonders if Rachel talked to her about him while he was sleeping. 

"I never thanked you, you know," she muses, "For helping me and Nico on the street." 

Percy shakes his head. "It was nothing. Anyone would have done it." 

Bianca scoffs, shaking her head. "No, Percy. Not anyone." She goes back to sharpening, harder now, more deliberate, her brow furrowed. 

He wonders what she's seen out there while he's been hiding in his apartment. What it's really like to be living out a nightmare every single day. A childish, naive part of him would like to think that those who've survived have been kind to each other. It's impossible for Percy to imagine adding to the cruelty that already awaits him when he steps outside. On the other hand, he's from New York. He's seen human nature in action. He doesn't want to think about what's waiting for him and Rachel out there. 

Actually, he doesn't want to think about Rachel _period_. She told him she was taking a nap hours ago, and hasn't left their room since. He's guilty, and angry for feeling guilty. He shouldn't feel bad about wanting to find his mom. He also wants Rachel to be happy and safe, and she's happy and safe here. But he can't leave her. But he can't leave his mom out there alone. 

"Where'd you get that knife?" Percy asks, desperate to escape his thoughts. 

Bianca shrugs. "It's from my old apartment. I know it's not much of a weapon, but I've gotten pretty good at using it." She puts down the sharpener, examining the knife. It's no longer shiny, but it's oddly clean, devoid of blood. She could probably use it to mince some parsley right now. 

"It's nice," Percy says. "Was your mom a good cook?" 

For a moment, Bianca looks at him like she's about to start whacking at his head with her knife, but then she deflates. "Yeah," she sighs. "She was the best."

"What happened to her?" Percy asks. "Did she get sick?"

"No. There was--" Bianca takes a shuddering breath. Her eyes are red. 

"You don't have to tell me. I'm sorry I asked." 

"No, I want to," Bianca insists. "I haven't...I haven't said it out loud yet. I should. I need to. Okay." He can tell she isn't talking to him. She swipes under her eyes and meets his gaze. "Remember the curfew, after the first zombie was discovered?" Percy nods, rolling his eyes. Bianca huffs. "Yeah, like staying inside after seven o'clock was the answer to our problems. So, after our mom went to bed, Nico and I would sneak out and walk around, looking for zombies. It was stupid, and reckless, but...I don't know. It didn't feel real, you know? Like, it didn't feel like it was actually happening. It felt like a game. Nico would take the poker from the fireplace, and I'd take this knife." She holds it up in her hand for effect. "And we'd kill them, like we were monster hunters," she continues in a rush, blushing. "It sounds so stupid, saying it out loud to someone else. But that's how we learned about them, like how they only die when you get them right in the head, where the brain used to be." She's quiet for a few moments. He wonders again who she's met on the road, if she found someone she could confide in who wasn't her kid brother. He doesn't think so.

"But, my mom. So, you know how I told you and Rachel D.C. was bombed? Well, it happened at night, when Nico and I were out. We were just walking around. And then we heard an airplane overhead, which was weird, because of the travel ban, you know." Percy nods. "And then--and then the bombs came. And we ran back to our building, to make sure our mom was okay, and--" Her voice breaks. "And the building was just...gone. It was rubble. We knew she was dead. We didn't know what to do, so we just...we ran."

Percy stares at her, stunned. There's nothing he can say to her. Everything that comes to him seems too canned, too hollow. Once again, he thinks about what his mother would do, and decides to take her hand in his. She grips back tightly. 

"You're incredible," he decides. Bianca opens her mouth to protest, but he won't let her. "No, Bianca. You are. You walked from D.C. to New York--"

"Sometimes we used mopeds," she mumbles.

"And you're still alive," he continues. "That's huge. You're sort of my hero." He looks over at Nico's sleeping form, the steady rise and fall of his chest. "And I know you're his hero, too." 

\--

Percy stares over the half-full bottle of Poland Springs in front of him, listening to the constant, soothing rhythm of Rachel drumming her fingers on the table. He holds her free hand, drawing lazy circles on the soft skin between her thumb and forefinger. Bianca wolfs down canned corn across from him. Nico twirls his poker as he takes a long sip of water. 

It's barely been twenty-four hours. But...this feels like this could be the start of something. A team, maybe. A small, selfish part of Percy doesn't want this to be goodbye. 

"Listen, if anything happens, take this," Percy says before he can stop himself, fishing a crinkled map out of his back pocket and tossing it on the table. "Do either of you know how to read a map?" He pushes back his chair and strides towards the junk drawer in the kitchen.

"Duh," he hears Nico huff. He smirks and grabs a red felt pen, turning back around.

"Good. All right, so we're here, in Manhattan--"

"Uh huh." 

"Shut up, Nico," he says, without heat. "And we're going to Montauk, that's pretty much at the end of Long Island, okay?" He traces his planned route lightly, then scrawls the address of the beach house below Fire Island, circling it twice. "This is where we're gonna find my mom. If you come this way again, here's where we'll be." 

Bianca looks at the map skeptically. "Come on, take it," Percy wheedles. He slides it in front of Nico, who glances at his frowning sister. He folds it up and zips it into his backpack, staring back at her in his defiant way. "Just in case," Nico repeats.

"Cool." Percy shifts in his seat. He wants to say, "See you later!" But he knows that'd be ridiculous, considering they're hoping to never see him again. Bianca coughs and looks out the window. 

Rachel, God love her, jumps in to save the day. "It was so nice meeting you. I hope you find your dad." 

"Yeah. I hope you find your mom," Bianca says, looking at Percy. She stands, brushes off her jeans, and holds her hand out. He shakes it, smiling softly. "Bye, Bianca." 

"Be safe," she replies, and walks over to Rachel to give her a hug. 

Percy turns to Nico. "Bye, man. Good luck," he says, and gives Nico's shoulder a firm shake. Nico nods. 

"Yeah, you too," he says quietly. He lingers for a moment, but before Percy can say something stupid, like, "You're a really cool kid and I don't want you to die," Bianca calls, "Come on, Nico." 

Bianca's frowning in the hallway outside, her arms crossed. Nico gives Percy one last long look before trailing after his sister and into the cold dawn. 

"We're going to need a new map," Rachel remarks, looking at the empty hallway, and Percy breaks into a slow grin.

**Author's Note:**

> find me on tumblr @fatherneptune


End file.
